226 GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF THE TEREITOEIES. 



Perhaps it will not be out of place for me here to make a suggestion 

 in regard to a matter which deeply concerns the future welfare of the 

 western half of the United States. As I have frequently stated, and as 

 is now pretty generally known, irrigation is indispensable to cultiva- 

 tion of the soil throughout (with some very limited exceptions) all that 

 part of the United States west of the one hundredth meridian. We also 

 know from the history of those countries where irrigation is extensively 

 practiced that it is absolutely necessary that the State shall take more 

 or less control of this matter, upon which its prosperity, and, in fact, 

 perpetuity rests. We may therefore predict, with confidence, that the 

 day is not far distant when the States and Territories in the district 

 where irrigation is necessary will have to take absolute control of the 

 system of irrigatiort or keep a watchful eye over it and guard it well by 

 laws, regulations, restrictions, &c. 



As the development of the agricultural resources of these States and 

 Territories and their prosperity depend upon irrigation and the extent 

 to which this may be made available, therefore it is a subject of x^ara- 

 mount importance, not only to those sections but also to the General 

 Government. Unless proper and efficient steps are taken at an early 

 day to adopt the best system of regulations, which will be adapted to 

 an increased i^opulation, when the necessities demand such action in 

 the future, it will cause much difficulty and inconvenience to lay aside 

 one system and adopt another. This is, therefore, a matter well worthy 

 the consideration of our national legislators while the Territories re- 

 main their wards; and if they can place these on the right footing now, 

 it will greatly tend to accelerate their growth and prosperity. But the 

 question is asked, How are they to do this? Is it possible for them to 

 do this in accordance with their constitutional powers and without undue 

 expense to the National Government ? I am of the opinion there is a 

 method by which this can be done, and I herewith submit the plan in 

 a few words. 



Let the General Government grant to the States and Territories in 

 the region where irrigation is necessary — say, for example, all lying west 

 of the one hundredth meridian, or perhaps the ninety-ninth, every alter- 

 nate section of public land, with the condition that it be devoted 

 entirely to the construction of irrigating canals and carrying on a sys- 

 tem of irrigation. And the law making such grant should expressly 

 reserve water privileges to those who may settle upon and occupy the 

 remaining sections. By expressly providing that these lands should be 

 applied solely to this purpose, it will be apparent to any one what an 

 immense impetus it would give to the development of the agricultural 

 resources of this section. All of the available water would thus be 

 brought into use, and the reserved lands would also much sooner be 

 brought into demand, as they would be as much entitled to the benefit 

 of this measure as the lands thus granted. And in order to secure the 

 grant from any improper diversion from the object contemplated in the 

 grant, the law should provide that the States and Territories should 

 refund to the General Government the value, at the minimum price, of 

 all lands which the legislatures of these States and Territories should 

 appropriate to any other imrpose. The law should further provide that 

 the grant should not include any portion of the reserved lands in lieu 

 of those which might be occupied at the time of its passage, but should 

 include only those employed. It should also provide that these State 

 and territorial governments should not use any of the proceeds of these 

 Jands so granted for the payment of officers and other expenses of such 

 registers, receivers, &c., as would necessarily have to be incurred in the 



